Folding bedstead.



No. 795,618. PATBNTED JULY 25, 1905.

' I. R. JAMES.

FOLDING BBDSTEAD.

APPLIoATroN rmm 00125. 1904. v

QSBBBTS-SHEET 1.

No. 795,618. l PATENTED JULY 25, 1905.

F. R. JAMES.

FGLDING BEDSTBAD. APPLIGATIoN rmxn ocT.25, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

FREDERICK REESOR JAMES, OF LONDON, ENGLAND. j

FOLDING BE`DSTEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1905.

v i Application tiled October 25, 1904:. Serial No. 229,892.

To tZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK REEsoR JAMES, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain and Ireland, residing in the city of London, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Bedsteads, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved folding bedstead; and it has forits object to construct a bedstead for military or other use in whichprovision is made whereby the bedstead may be readily erected or foldedand when folded to be capable of being packed in a very small compasstogether with the mattress, which may be wrapped or folded round theparts, serving' to protect them durn ing transport and also to keep themtogether.

ported atl its ends by plates of metal, to which plates are also fixedthe ends of a second stay. The stay first described is secured at itsends to plates similar to those just referred to.

Forming part of each of the plates just referred to is a horizontalprojection of square or other convenient angular cross-section. Each ofthe Yprojections is provided with a horizontal pin of circular section.The ends of the plates where they join the projections serve, as will bepresently described, as a key, engaging a vertical slot formed in ametal casting secured to the upper end of each of the legs of thebedstead.

The legs of the bedstead may be formed of wood, or they may consist ofshort lengths of metal tubing. In the present instance wood is employed,having secured to it at one end a metal casting provided with a socketadapted to receive the upper end of the leg and having formed in it ahole running at a right angle to the center line of the leg and part ofwhich hole is of square and part of circular outline. Projections areformed upon the face of the casting upon two opposite sides of thesquare hole just referred to, and a slot is formed in the saidprojections. The pin previously referred to passes through the hole inthe casting, the square portion thereon engaging the square portion ofthe said hole,

and the vertical end or edge of the plate carrying the pin engages withthe slot. By these means the vertical displacement of the legs isprevented, and at the same time when it is desired to collapse or foldthe bedstead the leg may be drawn backward out of engagement with theretaining portions. The leg may then be rotated upon the pin through anangle of ninety degrees, bringing it into alinement with the transversestays.

is secured by again bringing the square portion of the hole intoengagement with the square portion of the projection. The tension of thecanvas is regulated by rotating the tube, to which the end is secured bymeans of a tommy or other suitable device, a ratchet-wheel and 'pawlretaining it when the tension is adjusted.

vTubular or other stays, preferably formed in short lengths connectedtogether in any suitable manner, form the side members of the frame,their ends being secured by means of the projections secured to theplates upon the end stays of the bedstead.

In order that the invention may be the better understood, drawings areappended, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bedsteadconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of theunder side of one end of a bedstead, the legs being in their foldedposition. larged scale, of one of the plates and 'the projectionssecured thereto. Fig. 4 is a side sectional view, to asimilar scale, ofthe upper end of one of the legs. Fig. 5 is a front View of Fig. t. Fig.6 is a plan showing the respective parts in engagement.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, c indicates a length of canvasone end of which is hemmed to form a loop, through which is passed thetransverse stay I). The opposite end of the canvas is secured to theroller c, formed of metal tube. The roller just referred to is carriedby the plates d, through which the ends of the roller pass and whichends are provided, respectively, with a ratchet-wheel e, with whichengages a pawl f, carried by the plate d, and a collar g, designed toprevent its longitudinal displacement. Holes t are formed in the end ofthe roller, through which a tommy c' is passed to rotate same. When notin use, the tommy c' may be placed in the roller, a cord or the likeserving to secure it to the plate d. A tubular When 1n this position,the inner of each pair of legs Fig. 3 is a side elevation, to an enstayj' is secured at its ends to each of the plates d, respectively.

The stay L before referred to has secured to its ends plates al. Thestays Z; and 7' are secured to the plates CZ Z by means of projectionsZ2-(Z3, formed upon the sides of the respective plates.

Projecting from the plates d d' and at right angles to the stayscarrying said plates are This being effected, the tension upon thecanvas is slackened, and the side members disengaged from the ends ofthe projections t. The component lengths of the members p are thendisconnected. The removal of the members p leaves the parts w, free tobe drawn forward out of engagement with edge of plates dd" and' thesquare projections thereon when they may be rotated through an angle ofninety horizontal projections Il', the inner portions of which are ofangular section and the outer portions of circular section, as shown inFig. 6 of the appended drawings.

Zrepresents legs, which in the present instance are formed of wood, theupper ends being reduced and secured within the tubular portions m ofthe castings a. The method employed for securing the legs is clearlyshown in Fig. et, from which it will be seen that a conical recess isformed in the upper end of the leg in which is placed the end of a plugn. Vhen placed in the socket, the plug rests against the end thereof,and as the leg is driven home it is forced into the hole therein,expanding the end of the leg, and thus insuring a permanent andtightjoint between the parts. To increase the cohesion between theparts, the outer surface of the end of the leg may be coated with glueor other adhesive substance. I may instead of having the inner walls ofthe socket parallel form the said socket with a slight taper, thelargest diameter being at the inner end. The castings n are perforated,the perforations running through the said castings at right angles tothe center line of the legs. The perforations at one end 0 are ofrectangular section of dimensions approximately corresponding to theparts t' on plates Z and d', and the perforations at the opposite end 0are circular and of a diameter sufficient to permit the ready passage ofthe circular portions on the extremities of the projections la.

p indicates the side members of the bedstead, which are formed oflengths of metal tube connected together at p', as indicated in Fig. l,on reference to which it will be seen that the end of one of the lengthsof tubing is enlarged to form a socket for the end of the other. It isobvious, however, that any other convenient form of connection may beemployed. The parts j) are secured to the legs by means of the circularextremity of the part 7c, which when the bedstead is erected is insertedin the end of the said tube p.

Projecting from the face of the casting a are projections q, slotted atq, the slots when the parts are connected being engaged by the verticaledges of the plates CZ CZ', as shown in Fig. 6, and which slots thusassist in insuring the stability of the legs.

Assuming it is desired to fold the bedstead, the canvas is firstslackened by turning the roller, by means of the tommy, to permit thepawl to be disengaged from the ratchet-Wheel.

degrees, bringing them into a position parallel with the transversestays and j. IVhen in this position, the inner of each pair of legs maybe secured against displacement by again engaging the square portion ofthe hole o with the part 1. IVhen thus disposed, the

parts comprising the bedstead may be placed together, and the canvas orthe like being Wrapped around them the whole is secured together bymeans of a strap r, presenting an appearance similar to that illustratedin Fig. 7 and forming a bundle that may be convene iently packed fortransport or carried in the hand.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the erection ordismemberment of the bedstead may be easily and rapidly effected, and,further, that as the Whole is held together by the tension of the canvasor the like forming the mattress the greater the tension thereof thegreater the rigidity and the better the connectoin between the parts.

It will be obvious that instead of forming the legs of wood metal ormetal tubing may be employed, a suitable foot being secured thereto toprevent same sinking when the bedstead is placed upon soft ground. Underthese circumstances the castings a could be cast upon the upper ends ofthe legs.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is- 1. In afolding bedstead, aframe havinglongitudinal sidemembers, legs supported to swing on the side members in vertical planes,and means for retaining each leg in both upright and folded positionsbygsliding it on the side member toward the extremity thereof.

2. In a folding bedstead, a frame having end members connected by afiexible bed-bottom, and also connected by removable rigid side membersthat are retained in assembled position by the tension of thebed-bottom, legs arranged to swing on the side members in verticalplanes, and means for retaining each leg in its upright position bysliding it on the side member toward the extremity thereof.

3. A folding bedstead comprising a length of canvas or other materialadapted to form a mattress secured at one end to a roller carried byplates secured to the ends of a transverse stay and at the other to asecond stay also provided with plates, means for retaining the canvas ina state of tension, legs provided at their upper ends with horizontalsockets'for engaging horizontal prjections upon the plates and by whichmeans the legs are retained in their vertical position, side membersformed in lengths and provided with means for eecting their readyconnection and adapted at their ends to engage the projectionssupporting the legs substantially as described and illustrated by theappended drawings.

4. In a folding bedstead adapted When erected to be held together bymeans of a length of canvas under tension, the means employed forconnecting and insuring the stability of the parts comprising a castingto Which is secured the leg, a hole in said castingformed

